Adara – Bengal Tiger

Adara is a female Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris) born around April, 2013. Adara’s name comes from the Greek word meaning beautiful. She was donated to the Foundation for our educational program after a gentleman in Florida heard that two of our female tigers had recently passed away. This generous man sent her to us, all expenses paid, as a gift. She is a wonderful addition to our educational program. With her help we will be able to educate the public about these big cats and hope to protect them for our future generations.
Bengal tigers are the only tigers that can be born with color variations. As a matter of fact, there are three distinct color varieties: orange and black, white and black, and snow white and black. All have the classic stripes, which traverse beyond fur and are actually skin-deep. Twin tigers have been known to have the same body stripes but no two tigers, even twins, have the same face markings. Many researchers utilize the unique markings on tiger faces to identify individuals.
Tigers are a rarity among cats, as they love to swim and are quite adept at it. Tigers are solitary animals and heavily scent-mark their territory. Cubs are not proficient hunters until 18 months of age and will remain with their mother for two to three years until they are ready to claim their own territory. They are sit-and-wait predators, using their coat as camouflage and wait until prey is within pouncing distance before attacking. Main sources of food include buffalo, deer, wild pigs, and other large mammals. Tigers have even been known to take down small elephants. A hungry tiger can eat as much as 60 lbs of meat in one night, though they don’t usually eat that much on a regular basis.
Bengal tigers (also called Indian tigers) are found in the Indian subcontinent. The mangrove forests of Sundarban, shared between Bangladesh and India, are the only mangrove forests where tigers are found. Today, Bengal tigers are mostly in India. Bengal tigers are the most common of the tiger subspecies in the wild, as well as in captivity. There are an estimated 1,700-2,500 Bengal tigers left in the wild and a further reduction will occur in the next 20-30 years unless greater conservation efforts are made. Primary declines are due to poaching and habitat loss.

Bengal Tiger Statistics: